Writing a gender pay gap report: a guide for employers

The first “snapshot date” for gender pay gap reporting is 5 April 2017, with larger employers having to publish their first gender pay gap report no later than 4 April 2018. We look at what organisations need to consider when writing a gender pay gap report.

3. Focus on the underlying causes of a gender pay gap

There is no legal obligation on employers to publish a narrative explaining their gender pay gap figures.

However, it may be worth adding some commentary to the report, to avoid potential reputational damage of failing to put the figures in context.

Gender pay gap reporting: differences in the public sector

The public-sector snapshot date is 31 March, meaning that the first gender pay gap report is due by 30 March 2018.

In the public sector, there is no requirement for the report to include a written statement signed by a senior figure confirming that the information is accurate.

For example, an employer’s gender pay gap may be wide because:

they struggle to recruit women in a traditionally male-dominated industry (for example, science and technology);

women are more likely than men to have had breaks from work that have affected their career progression;

women are more likely to work part time, and many of the jobs that are available across the UK on a part-time basis are relatively low paid.

The employer could also highlight the male/female make-up of the four quartile pay bands.

The effect of career breaks and part-time working to look after children may have affected female career progression within the organisation, meaning that the higher-paid bands are made up predominantly of men.

5. Say what the employer is doing to address its gender pay gap

Related policies

The employer could use its supporting statement to set out any actions that it is taking, or plans to take, to address its gender pay gap.

Committing to review its policy on bonus payments is one example of an action an organisation could take.

This will be particularly important where there are few mitigating factors to explain a wide gap.

Employers can also explain what other steps they are taking to improve gender diversity. This could involve running initiatives to improve support for women returning from maternity leave, to increase their chances of career progression further down the line.

6. Have a senior figure sign off on the gender pay gap report

For private- and voluntary-sector employers, the report should conclude with a written statement confirming that the information is accurate.

The statement of accuracy must be signed by a senior figure within the organisation. This could be a director, or the employer could choose to give the statement extra weight by having it approved and signed by the CEO.